Canadians will be watching UFC action on a different channel in the new year.
The mixed martial organization announced this week that it will be moving its future Canadian broadcasts from TSN and RDS to Sportsnet and TVA Sports.
The changes will come into force in early 2024.
We’ll be back home in the new year! 📺 🎉
The UFC will return @Sportsnet And @TVASports from 2024! pic.twitter.com/tRBhgnJYxr
— UFC Canada (@UFC_CA) November 9, 2023
This is the second round for Sportsnet and TVA Sports as Canadian broadcast partners of the UFC, following a four-year run from 2011 to 2014.
“I am very pleased that we are returning to Sportsnet and TVA Sports,” said UFC CEO Dana White.
“If you think back to the GSP days, Sportsnet and TVA Sports helped build this business in Canada. We love Canadian fans and are happy to be home.”
The network’s previous stint as a UFC broadcaster a decade ago included four headline fights by Quebec native Georges St. Pierre.
Sportsnet and TVA Sports will host both regular fight nights, free to watch for those with a cable subscription, as well as pay-per-view cards.
“We are excited to welcome the UFC and its incredible fans back home to Sportsnet,” said Greg Sansone, senior vice president of the network.
“This sport is absolutely electric and we look forward to entertaining fans and a growing UFC audience with hundreds of hours of content and programming across all Sportsnet platforms.”
The first UFC pay-per-view event of 2024 will take place in Canada as Toronto hosts UFC 297 at the Scotiabank Arena on Saturday, January 20.
The event will feature a middleweight title fight between Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis, but the full card has yet to be announced.
Things go downhill in the north.🦉
🏆@SStricklandMMA vs @DricusDuPlessis is your #UFC297 Main Event!
[ Register your interest at https://t.co/newcSNDZrs ] pic.twitter.com/hhggwKR8TZ
— UFC Canada (@UFC_CA) November 9, 2023
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